


The Warmest Gift

by ParallelSkies



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bad Jokes, Because I Don't Care, Crossposted on AFF, Flirting, Fluff and Smut, I Don't Even Know, JunSol Are Yuta's, M/M, Meet-Cute, Mentions of Other K-Pop Stars, Romantic Comedy, Romantic Fluff, TaeTen Are Jaehyun's Parent Friends, Winter Fic Even Though It's Summer, Yuta Has A Pet Octopus Named Naruto, you don't have to read this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-17
Updated: 2018-06-13
Packaged: 2019-05-08 04:53:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 15,881
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14686899
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ParallelSkies/pseuds/ParallelSkies
Summary: Not knowing what to do with his life after graduation, an adventure-seeking Jaehyun goes on a winter vacation to Japan for the first time. While there, he meets someone inspiring.





	1. Like a Dream

**Author's Note:**

> Winter YuJae fic inspired by the lovely YuJae photos from Road to Japan~ It's my first time writing for YuJae as well as the first time in forever that I'll be writing a lighthearted fic, so please bear with me even if it's bad. I've been wanting to try out new ships and genres as of late, but don't worry, I'll keep working on my YuTae stuff, too. But in the meantime, please settle for this? ^^"

Almost eleven hours after departing from LA, an exhausted, freezing Jaehyun finally sets foot onto Japanese soil just past noon. He feels disgustingー his face is puffy, his hair is unkempt, and his stomach is still in knots from the bumpy landingー but he’s made it to his destination in one piece nonetheless.

Osaka, Japan.

It’s fucking negative fourteen degrees outside and much colder than he’d like it to be inside, but Jaehyun can’t bring himself to be too upset since the sight of the frost-covered Osaka Bay and the city in the distance is beyond _breathtaking_. “ _Wow..._ I’m really here,” he whispers to himself with something akin to childlike wonder. As if dazed by the beautiful preview of the adventure that lies ahead, he clumsily fishes his phone out from his jacket pocket. “Yeah, I’ve _got_ to get a picture of _this_...”

His dulled senses slowly begin to awaken after a couple of Instagram-worthy snapshots. Anticipation floods his veins with a pleasant warmth as he gradually recalls all the things he read and heard about the famous city. He’ll only have nine days to explore it, but he’s determined to experience as much as possible. Shopping, clubbing, eating, sightseeing, learningー he’s looking forward to _everything_.

Eager to get his adventure started but not sure what to do until his friend-slash-tour guide arrives, the Korean man readjusts his grip on his backpack, takes a deep breath, and goes on a hunt for the rest of his luggage and something hot to fill his belly.

After twenty minutes, three amazing banana hot chocolates, and four or so peach and earl grey cakes, Jaehyun decides that he’s never ever going to an American Starbucks again because the Starbucks in Japan has utterly, irrevocably ruined him in the best way possible. He’s seriously considering going in for another splurge when he hears a familiar, adorable voice call out in Korean, _“Hyunnie-ah, I’m here!”_

A happy smile tugs on Jaehyun’s lips at the sound. He spins around to find a panting, doe-eyed man with hair as white as snow and flushed cheeks leaning against a pillar not even a meter away. “Ah, I’m really sorry I’m late!” the elder huffs out as he makes his way over to his childhood friend.

Jaehyun tugs the other man into a tight embrace. “It’s good to see you, Taeyong-hyung. Skype doesn’t do your gorgeous face justice,” the younger jokes, his eyes crinkling fondly when his friend weakly smacks his chest.

“Charming. Is that how people flirt in America?” Taeyong clicks his tongue critically but stands up on his tiptoes to gift his tall friend with a quick peck on the cheek a moment later. “Missed you, Hyunnie-ah. Now let’s grab lunch, unless you’d rather sleep off all those empty calories first? I hope you didn’t _spoil your appetite_...”

Jaehyun squirms a little like a contrite child as Taeyong switches into fussy mother mode. He can practically feel his already cold-flushed cheeks get even redder from shame; he _really_ didn’t mean to get so carried away with his snacking, and he knows that the other man must be unimpressed by all the dirty trays piled up on the tiny table next to them. “I still have room for more, hyung. Don’t worry,” Jaehyun says softly, hoping his cute poutiness will be enough to dispel his friend’s annoyance.

“Ah, and that’s why you’re my precious Honey Pig,” Taeyong responds with a simple sigh, reaching down to swat the younger’s bottom without any real force. He cackles when Jaehyun lets out an overdramatic yelp. “Come on, you big baby, let’s get out of here. I’ll treat you to ramen. Ten will meet us at the restaurant...”

 

Three days later, Jaehyun sits in the spacious guest bedroom of Taeyong and Ten’s shared apartment, checking off the names of various attractions, temples and shrines, restaurants, and shops the couple has taken him to since he got to Japan. The Korean man puts the journal away after completing this small task and ponders where he should ask to be taken next, resting his chin atop folded hands.

Actually, maybe he should figure out an agenda for today first. Now that the weekend’s over, Taeyong’s back to teaching Korean lessons at a local international school while Ten’s busy running dance workshops at his studio. Therefore, neither is around to tour him. Jaehyun leans back in his seat, weighing his options. The _rational_ side of him is telling him to just settle for a day in and not go out without his friends; his Japanese skills and sense of direction are pretty awful, so it’s likely he won’t get very far should he choose to leave the apartment. Besides, the weather’s also in the negatives again today, and he’s not sure if his body is ready for more frostbite, honestly...

However, his _adventurous_ side is screaming at him to go explore the local area to ease some of his deadly boredom. According to Ten, there are tons of cool cafes and little shops and such in the general vicinity. Maybe he could check some of those places out? He has an empty stomach, plenty of money to burn, and tons of souvenirs to buy for the people back home, anyway...

After a few more minutes of serious deliberation, Jaehyun ultimately opts to text his friends his plans and prepares to head out.

With the help of good old Google Maps, Jaehyun eventually finds himself outside a quaint, hole-in-the-wall, Western-style cafe twenty minutes later. Truthfully speaking, he has no idea how to pronounce its name, nor can he really read what’s being advertised on the outside printed menu board since pretty much everything’s in Japanese and/or obscured by dense winter frost. But these are all just _minor_ impediments in reality, the Korean man tells himself somewhat optimistically. He’ll be okay. There are some numbered pictures here and there, after all.

Before he became fluent in English, Jaehyun had managed to order food alone just fine in America by mainly motioning to pictures and/or saying the number of what he thought looked good. The addition of well-thought-out body language is immensely helpful in overcoming language barriers, so he hopes to successfully apply that same skill here today.

Even if this place’s food does turn out to be below his standards, he’s a hundred percent sure that it’ll still be a billion times better than Mark’s _atrocious, inedible_ cooking. He shudders violently as he recalls the first (and _last_ ) time he went camping with Johnny and Mark, his goofy childhood best friends who conveniently like to follow him back and forth between America and Korea. Mark, bless his naive Canadian soul, had woken up earlier than him and Johnny with the intent of cooking his tired older friends a nice breakfast. Well, in short, his efforts had gone to shit. Ugly, suspiciously crunchy eggs, overcooked ramen, burnt kimchi and sausagesー just the memory of that _tragic_ meal leaves Jaehyun shook.

Mustering his courage, Jaehyun takes a leap of faith and enters the cafe. A sweet little chime rings, and the chipper, albeit faraway, sound of a Japanese female employee’s gracious greeting instantly puts the Korean man at ease. It’s comfortably warm inside the relatively empty space, so he pulls off his hood just as the employee shows herself. She’s a petite and friendly-looking brunette, probably no older than Mark’s age, and her name tag reads “Hina” in Roman letters. _“Hello, and welcome to Xabungle Cafe, sir. What may I get you today?”_

 _“Oh, um...”_ Jaehyun trails off awkwardly, scanning over the digital menu board with clueless eyes. This cluelessness is replaced by a light of recognition, however, when he finally catches sight of a picture of French toast accompanied by what looks to be different types of breakfast meat, fried potatoes, and a side salad. _“Sorry, sorry...”_ he mumbles in broken Japanese, pointing to the fading picture. _“Um, 116... the French toast, please?”_

“Okay, so the French toast platter? How would you like your eggs, sir?” Jaehyun gapes as the Japanese girl before him addresses him in flawless, enthusiastic Korean, the abrupt language switch nearly giving him whiplash. Seeing her customer’s shocked expression, Hina giggles and explains bashfully, “Um, I go to a Korean language school. Your accent sounds really similar to my friends’ and teachers’. Correct me if I’m wrong, but you’re from... Seoul, I’m guessing?”

“Yeah, Seoul... Well, I’ve been living in America for a while, but it’s reassuring to know that my Korean doesn’t sound _too_ Americanized,” Jaehyun responds with a thankful, dimpled smile, rubbing the back of his neck shyly. “My Korean-Korean friends always make jokes about my Korean not sounding authentic enough, whatever _that_ means...”

“Yeah, _tell me about it_. My friends say that my Nagoya accent is still really noticeable, but I don’t think so...” Hina snorts, shaking her head empathetically. “Ah, so how did you want those eggs again?”

“Over medium, please,” Jaehyun requests politely, truly grateful for her hospitality. He prepares his wallet but pauses when he notices the array of beautiful tea tins on the counter behind the Japanese girl. “Oh, and could I also get... a hot rose tea, as well? Thanks,” he tacks on as an afterthought.

Hina hums in confirmation and calculates the total for his order not long after, which he pays with card because his grasp of Japanese currency isn’t too good. “Thank you again, Hina-ssi,” the Korean man says sincerely.

“You’re welcome, Jaehyun-ssi,” Hina returns warmly as she gives her customer back his credit card.

Afterwards, Jaehyun ambles to an empty table along the wall. Relaxing, he removes some heavier layers like his parka and mittens, shoves his earphones in, and pulls up his winter playlist.

He’s about three-fourths of the way through his second song, TVXQ’s “Duet,” when Hina delivers his order. He thanks her happily as he removes his earphones, ever well-mannered, and she bows quickly before rushing back to the counter to take a new customer’s order. The Korean man glances at his food and almost salivates at the sight. Crisp bacon, plump sausages, golden fried potatoes, a runny egg, fluffy French toast, and a vibrant salad, all accompanied by a steaming, gorgeous red tea...

Jaehyun’s ecstatic. Delicious food _always_ makes his days better. “I’ll eat well!” he whispers excitedly to himself before picking up his utensils.

Everything’s _amazing_. Jaehyun wants to squeal at how perfect his food is, how much it reminds him of his home away from home. Don’t him wrong, he loves Japanese food with its clean, balanced ingredients and flavors, but he’s missed American food in all its fried, high-calorie, generously seasoned glory, as well.

“Oppa!” Jaehyun jolts a little in his seat several minutes later, startled, when he hears Hina call out to an entering customer loudly and familiarly in Korean instead of voicing the same perfunctory Japanese greeting she’s probably been giving everyone else all day. “How were your classes today?” the Japanese girl continues sweetly in Korean.

Her acquaintance mutters something back noncommittally in Japanese, which Jaehyun barely manages to catch amid the chitchat of some other customers and whatever upbeat J-Pop song is playing on the radio at the moment. He can’t hear their conversation clearly from where he’s sitting, but he can make out that Hina and the new person are going back and forth between Japanese and Korean, as if playfully bantering.

For some odd reason, he finds himself strangely charmed by the unknown Japanese man’s silky, albeit exasperated, tone. Unable to stifle his curiosity any longer, the Korean man subtly peeks up from his meal, wanting to connect a voice to a face.

He nearly chokes at the visual that greets him. He was expecting a youthful college boy around Hina’s age, not a well-dressed, positively _delectable_ man around his own.

Hot damn, does Jaehyun feel _thirsty_. He knows his ears must be getting redー an awful, totally _not_ endearing tendency, reallyー so he hurriedly musses his hair in hopes of hiding the incriminating attachments behind his chocolate locks. His low-key shame still doesn’t stop him from stealing peeks to quench his thirst, though. The stranger has honey-colored hair, brown doe eyes framed by lush lashes, plump pink lips, creamy skin, and a slim build...

Well, _mostly_ slim. The Japanese man tiredly drags his feet to a table not too far from Jaehyun’s, the Korean man’s interested gaze following him the entire way. The fair-haired stranger drops his briefcase and removes his trench coat, which causes Jaehyun to internally freak out because _boy_ , was he not expecting those _curves_. Even in a thick sweater and straight dress pants, the other man’s waist, hips, and ass look _nice_.

Jaehyun snaps out of his silly stupor when he accidentally spills some salad in his lap. Swearing softly, he begins to dab at the dark dressing stain spreading rapidly on his jeans. “Shit, this better come out okay or Taeyong-hyung will throw the biggest fit...”

Due to his distractedness, Jaehyun doesn’t notice when a certain Japanese man later shoots an intrigued, almost knowing look in his direction, or when a dangerously attractive hybrid between a smile and smirk blossoms on his face.

 

“This pizza is weird, too. I don’t like it...” Jaehyun sighs during dinner that night, pushing the tuna mayo slice he just barely bit into away to join his unofficial “whole lot of nope” stack, where long-abandoned sweet potato cream cheese, extra garlicky sausage delight, and other fearsome flavors reside. Then he grabs another kimchi bulgogi slice; it’s the most delicious variety he’s tried all night, not to mention the safest next to the basic bitch extra pepperoni and cheese he’d also ordered. “You know, I’m starting to have regrets...” he muses, surveying the mountain of still relatively full pizza boxes with wary eyes.

“We _told_ you that most of the other flavors were gross, but you wouldn’t believe us and pressured us into ordering them anyway with your _stupid_ puppy eyes!” Ten roars melodramatically, breaking off a large piece of crust to fling at the younger’s face. “I still can’t believe we wasted so much money on entertaining your awful curiosities. You’re _canceled_ , Jeffrey, and I’m going to call the bank tomorrow and claim card fraud, I swear toー”

 _“Babe,”_ Taeyong calls sharply from the kitchen, his tone laced with thinly veiled, saccharine warning, “I suggest you stop yelling at Hyunnie. Remember, he’s a _visitor_ and _close friend_.”

Ten shuts his mouth quickly, knowing better than to protest when his boyfriend goes into one of his passive-aggressive moods. Defying Taeyong when he’s all worked up like that usually equates to a one-way ticket to sleeping on the couch, and he’s not in the mood for blue balls. _“Whipped,”_ Jaehyun comments in English with a subtle cough into his napkin.

_“You’re lucky you’re nice to look at, you brat, or else I would’ve ended you ages ago,” Ten hisses back in English, kicking his Korean friend’s shin swiftly under the table._

Jaehyun yelps and bites back a curse as Ten titters into his own napkin. “ _Karma, bitch_ ,” the elder sasses lowly once more in English. Immediately after that, though, he lets out a fake gasp and pronounces audibly in Korean, “Oh, your leg fell asleep? I pity you, Jaehyun-ah. It’s the _worst_ feeling ever, I know!”

“Ah, I hate it when that happens!” Taeyong remarks with an empathetic shake of his head, putting away the last of the dry dishes before walking over to rejoin his boyfriend and best friend at the table. “So, how was your day out alone, Jaehyun-ah? Do anything fun?” he wonders curiously as he settles into the seat between two of his favorite people.

Jaehyun clears his throat, mentally willing away his salt towards Ten and the last remnants of irritating pain in his leg as he carefully crafts his answer. After a moment, he starts, “Well, um... I picked up some stuff for myself and the people back home, and I got to try some street food... But I guess the highlight of my day was having lunch at a cafe. Have you guys ever gone to a nearby place called Cafe Xabungle?”

“Cafe Xabungle...” Taeyong repeats, furrowing his brows. “I’m not sure. I’ve been to a lot of cafes, honestly, so it’s hard to keep track of names. Ten, have we been there?” he asks his boyfriend inquisitively.

Ten hums thoughtfully. “Cafe Xabungle, Cafe Xabungle... _Ah,_ I remember now!” he exclaims, snapping his fingers. “Yeah, we’ve been there! It’s the cafe some of our students work at, if I recall correctly. Like Chenle and Renjun from my hip hop class, and Koeun and Hina from your Korean classー”

“Oh, I met Hina today. She was so nice!” Jaehyun interjects, smiling at the memory of the understanding employee. Then, in a much shyer manner, he continues, “And, um... I also saw a handsome guy. I’m not trying to sound creepy or anything, but I stared at him for a while. He was just so... _princely,_ I guessー” he stutters clumsily.

“Ah, love at first sight in a cafe during a snowy day? Just what crappy Asian drama were you reenacting?” Taeyong teases lightly. “Do tell us the details.”

Jaehyun flushes, finding the intensity of his friends’ expectant stares to be a touch unnerving. But he’s grateful for their interest, at least. In reality, it’s been a long time since he last felt attracted to someone, so he’s feeling kind of _giddy_ about this new development, as well. “Well, he’s Japanese, around our age, and he’s friends with Hina. I’m guessing he’s a young teacher, too. Oh, um, and he also had that ethereal pretty boy thing going on, with his lovely doe eyes and fair hair andー”

“So you’re basically saying you’re attracted to a guy who physically resembles Taeyong. Should I feel concerned?” Ten cuts in jokingly.

“ _No,_ that’s not what I’m saying!” Jaehyun insists with a whine. “Their _impressions_ are kind of similar, that’s all...”

“Well, I can’t think of any other male employees besides myself with fair hair, so I’m absolutely sure that whoever you’re talking about doesn’t work at my school,” Taeyong informs his companions after some brief contemplation. “Hopefully you encounter your mystery man again soon, though, Jaehyun-ah. What’s a vacation without a fling or whirlwind romance, anyway?” he chuckles good-naturedly.

Ten nods in agreement. “Yeah, I’m sure you’ll cross paths with him again,” he pipes in encouragingly. “Actually, winter break starts the day after tomorrow! Maybe you’ll run into your special Japanese teacher during his off timeー”

 _“I don’t know...”_ Jaehyun murmurs, suddenly feeling immature and self-conscious. Nervous, he takes a giant bite of pizza before going on, “I mean, I know nothing about him, and chances are I wouldn’t be able to communicate with him if I tried. Besides, the guy’s a total snack, so I doubt he’s even single. And even if he were, why would he hook up with a potato like me? Iー”

“Hey, don’t be so hard on yourself, Hyunnie-ah,” Taeyong reprimands in a motherly fashion. He reaches over to pat his friend on the shoulder comfortingly. “You’re a very _handsome, deserving_ young man, and I’m not just saying that because I’m like your second mom. This guy you’re talking aboutー he’d be lucky to have you, you know. I think you shouldー”

“If words fail, you could always let your body do all the talking. It’s truly a shame that you dress so modestly all the time, becauseー _newsflash_ ー you’re fucking _ripped_ ,” Ten throws in breezily with a wise shrug. “You know, your Taeyong-hyung and I couldn’t communicate well at first since my Korean was so bad, but I won him over since I’m fantastic with my mouth in _other_ ー”

 _“Chittaphon!”_ Taeyong snaps in embarrassment, looking every bit like an angry, bloodthirsty kitten ready to claw its annoying mate’s eyes out. _“Not fucking helping!”_

“ _What?!_ I give _great_ real-world advice!” Ten defends stubbornly, only to cry out when his boyfriend turns away from Jaehyun to assault him with a flurry of girly smacks. “ _Ouch!_ Stop it, Yong! Your damn Pinocchio hands sting like a bitchー”

A single sweat drop rolls down the side of Jaehyun’s face as he observes the bizarre but oddly entertaining interaction.

 

On the fifth night of his stay, Jaehyun is dragged to a popular LGBT club by Taeyong and Ten, who are fed up with his dramatic moping and stress eating. “You need to get laid,” Ten had all but demanded earlier that night after practically barging into Jaehyun’s room and unceremoniously depositing a new pair of leather pants, a ribbon choker, and other questionable things on his friend’s bed. “You’re killing the vibe all up in here, so Taeyong and I are taking you clubbing to cheer your pathetic ass up. You’ve got fifteen minutes to make yourself presentable. If you need help with your clothes or makeup, just holler at us. Now, _get!_ ”

And so Jaehyun finds himself sitting alone in a corner not even two hours later, nursing a half-empty bottle of makgeolli as he surveys the euphoric, crazed crowd somewhat enviously. He did enjoy dancing with Taeyong and Ten for a while, but he had hastily excused himself once the drunken couple’s increasingly _erotic_ moves started getting too risqué for his pure boy sensibilities.

Jaehyun takes a somber sip of his drink and averts his gaze to his lap. Sure, he could release his inhibitions and mindlessly mingle with the throng, but what’d be be the point? He can’t hold a decent conversation in Japanese to save his life. And although he spots (more like _hears_ ) various lively foreigners scattered throughout the masses, there’s no guarantee that they’ll be any more receptive towards him should he choose to approach, either...

Deeply lost in his own world, Jaehyun’s breath hitches when an unexpected tap on his shoulder coaxes him back into reality. Overcome by a strong pang of shyness, which crashes into him from out of nowhere like a bullet train, the Korean man blinks dumbly, licks his lips, and mentally counts to ten before daring to look up at the stranger. _“Um, helloー oh!_ ”

Oh _god_. Standing above him is none other than the crazy hot Japanese man from the cafe. This time, however, he’s even more impossibly gorgeous than before. It’s not just the flashy neon lighting of the club playing tricks on himー no, Jaehyun’s a thousand percent sure that the other man’s hair is now a cherry blossom pink instead of a golden honey blond. Soft, rosy eye makeup complements the stranger’s new look, and his dark blue circle lenses and shimmery lip gloss are the icing on the cake. Like Jaehyun, he’s collared and clad mostly in leather, and he’s loosely gripping a bottle of raspberry wine.

 _“Hi there,”_ the subject of his recent wet dreams greets in Japanese with a seductive drawl and toothy smile. The sight of that smile makes Jaehyun melt inwardly because it should be _illegal_ for someone to possess such lethal radiance. _“Won’t you dance with me, stranger?”_ the Japanese man suggests with an almost kittenish tilt of his head.

Jaehyun swallows nervously and slowly sets his makgeolli down on the wooden arm of the trashy loveseat he’s currently occupying. _“I’m... a tourist. My Japanese isn’t good, sorry...”_ He winces as the lame, alien words leave his mouth, nearly wringing his hands in his lap as he gauges the stranger’s reaction. Surprisingly, the other man doesn’t look bored or turned offー he’s just listening patiently in place while sipping at his drink. Sighing, Jaehyun continues in a self-deprecating, defeated tone, _“Um, so I mean, I don’t want to...”_

He pauses with a tiny frown, visibly struggling to find the right words to use in Japanese, but the Japanese man beats him to it when he tentatively speaks up in near-perfect Korean, “...Disappoint me?"

Jaehyun’s jaw drops in disbelief as the now demurely grinning stranger takes a seat next to him and puts down his drink on the opposite armrest. “I noticed you staring at me at the cafe, you know. You weren’t exactly discreet. But don’t worry, I stared a bit, too. How could I not, when you’re so _adorable?_ ”

He winks cutely, and the Korean man prays that his red face isn’t too obvious in the darkness. The other man’s forwardness is... _astounding_ , to say the least, but he likes it; he thinks it’s refreshing, plus it’s a cool reversal charm considering his delicate appearance.

At Jaehyun’s lack of response, the Japanese man bites his lip before continuing in his smooth, melodic Korean, “I knew from my friend that you were Korean when I decided to approach you tonight, but I thought it’d be more natural for me to use Japanese first. Ah, sorry if I spooked youー”

 _“No, no!”_ Jaehyun interrupts eagerly in Korean, secretly thanking the heavens for this unexpected stroke of good fortune. That the Japanese beauty before him knows his mother tongue to some extent makes Jaehyun’s comfort and confidence rise tenfold. “Um, if you don’t mind me asking, how do you know Korean?”

“I learned a little from some friends, but I’ve got a long way to go still,” the stranger chuckles, tucking some hair behind his ear. Jaehyun’s eyes are instantly drawn to the array of shiny, mismatched piercings decorating the cartilage. _Whoa_ , those definitely weren’t there a few days ago. “So... a tourist?”

“Yeah, from America. Well, I’m Korean, but I’ve been living in America for four years, so...” Jaehyun clams up, realizing that he should change topics; after all, it’d be better not to bore his potential hook-up for the night with _that_ long, complicated story. “Anyway, I’ve been here for almost a week. Been sightseeing, staying with some friends...”

“Oh, really? Sounds fun,” his companion remarks simply but sincerely, and Jaehyun’s heart does a strange, excited somersault at the reappearance of the Japanese man’s pure, perfect beam because _wow_. To be honest, he’s never seen one that unfairly dazzling before in his entire life, so his brain practically short-circuits from the overload of splendid brilliance. “What’s your favorite thing about Osaka so far?”

“It might just be you,” the Korean man replies lamely, his brain to mouth filter apparently out of commission. _“Oh, fuck!”_ he exclaims in horror a second later, his trademark blush of mortification spreading across his face like a California wildfire.

_Oh god, he didn’t just say that._

_He did **not** just say that._

**_Jeffrey, you’re such a goddamn loser. You ruined everything. Go home, you’re drunk!_ **

Jaehyun sucks his teeth and runs a hand through his hair in frustration. There’s no way he’s going to be able to salvage the _trainwreck_ that just occurred; he internally berates himself some more, and then he attempts to pick his next words more wisely. “...Well, _shit_. Okay. I, ahー I can explain, but please just forgetー”

He’s cut off by the other man’s explosive burst of contagious, endearing laughter. “God, that was so _ridiculous_ I could puke. But you’re an interesting one for sure!” the Japanese man snorts, not unkindly.

The pleasant expression from earlier is still plastered on his pretty face, and Jaehyun can’t help but feel slightly relieved by the sight; he probably ruined all chances of hooking up with the wonderful man beside him tonight due to his disgusting bout of word vomit, but at least he was able to amuse him. Just as the Korean man is about to drop a heartfelt apology, his companion says, “You know, I think I might just really like you. My name’s Yuta, by the way. I’m twenty-four, Japanese, obviously, and I’m a GTA at Osaka University. Now, why don’t you tell me a little bit about yourself, stranger?”

 _“Yuta...”_ Jaehyun repeats almost reverently, enjoying the taste of the foreign name on his tongue. It’s nice, different, and fitting of the man sitting beside him. “I’m Jaehyun. I’m twenty-two, Korean, obviously, and I... just graduated from UCLA with a degree I have no idea what to do with,” he introduces honestly.

“Relatable,” Yuta snickers. “What did you study?”

“I majored in Music,” the Korean man reveals cautiously, rubbing the back of his neck. He can’t help but feel self-consciousー a lot of people tend to view Fine Arts majors as nobodies going nowhereー but he sees no judgment in Yuta’s face. Rather, he sees genuine intrigue light up the other man’s fair countenance. “I really love... to sing...” he trails off.

“Wow, that’s _great!_ ” the elder comments enthusiastically, his funny seal clapping making Jaehyun’s lips twitch upwards. “Music is so fun, and I’m sure you’re great at singing since you have a charming voice,” he gushes.

“Ah, what about you... hyung?” Jaehyun wonders, scooting a touch closer to his companion on the loveseat.

The Japanese man’s bottom lip juts out at the formality. “Hey, don’t make me feel old, _Jaehyun-ah_ ,” he whines, and the younger shivers at the teasing tone. Then he goes on, this time much more nonchalantly, “Oh, I’m _boring_ compared to you, honestly. I double majored in Gender Studies and Global Citizenship and minored in Asian Studies for my undergrad. I’m studying Multicultural Innovation right now, but yeah... it’s not as crazy as it sounds. I also help teach some basic humanities coursesー”

“Damn, that’s _amazing!_ ” Jaehyun blurts out, absolutely stunned. He could tell that the other man wasn’t trying to brag, but just stating facts. And for that reason, he’s happyー he’d always found people who were both beautiful and brainy, but not full of themselves, the most attractive.

And Yuta was getting more attractive with every passing second. “Hyung, you’re so...”

 _“Nerdy?”_ Yuta supplies jokingly, biting his lip again. He unconsciously hugs his arms to himself and averts his gaze from Jaehyun to the floor; his earlier boldness is nowhere to be found. “Well, I _do_ love education...”

To the untrained eye, his companion’s words and actions could be perceived as coy through and through. However, Jaehyun detects a trace of insecurity in the Japanese man’s actions. It’s so faint, but it’s definitely there, and the sight makes his chest tighten unpleasantly; he briefly wonders if Yuta had ever been rejected due to being too smart. _Most likely,_ he deduces quickly, seeing how Yuta was practically folding into himself after revealing his educational ties.

 _Well, their fucking loss,_ the Korean man mentally swears. He’d never understood those kinds of people, the ones who were intimidated by or didn’t appreciate intelligence in a partner. What point was there in beauty without substance? Taking a deep breath to calm his indignant self, he utters softly, “You’re _brilliant_ , hyung. Never _nerdy_ , so don’t feel self-conscious... I think it’s awesome that you’re so knowledgeable and that you’re dedicated to making a difference in the world...”

Yuta freezes at the unexpected but reassuring praise, a bright spark of joy running through his body like an electric current because Jaehyun isn’t put off by the real him. _Hope_ blossoms in his chest, a wonderful peach blossom. Why, it’s been so _long_ since he last experienced any kind of mutual attraction, and for someone to be interested in him beyond his looks...

Yuta knows an opportunity when it’s dangling right in front of his face. He’d be an idiot to let it slip through his fingers. “Hey... Jaehyun-ah?” he murmurs intently, leaning in close so his hot breath can graze the younger’s ear.

“Yes?” Jaehyun inquires, anticipation coloring his voice thickly.

The Japanese man hums mischievously. “I’d like to spend the night with you. But first, you owe me a dance.”

With that, he stands up abruptly and sticks an expectant hand out. The Korean man grabs it without hesitation, resisting the urge to _coo_ when he realizes how small and thin the other man’s hand is compared to his. He thinks it’s seriously adorableー he’s always had a hidden thing for size differences. “Let’s go,” Jaehyun urges breathlessly.

 

Dancing doesn’t go exactly as planned. That is, it leads to an extremely _heated_ makeout session in another corner of the club after half an hour or so. Yuta turns out to be a rather demanding, frisky little thing who’s _very_ good with his hips. On the other hand, Jaehyun’s a terribly weak, sexually frustrated young man who’s _more_ than happy to satisfy both of their physical desires.

Jaehyun groans in displeasure when he feels the familiar vibration of his phone in his back pocket. Taeyong and Ten must finally be looking for him... He makes a half-hearted effort to detach himself from Yuta’s mesmerizing, berry-flavored mouth, but the elder’s succulent lips chase after his with a high-pitched, insistent keen. “No, you’re _mine_ right now,” the Japanese man whimpers possessively, lapping at his companion’s sweet, honey-like lips hungrily.

“I know, I know,” the Korean man concedes indulgently, basking in the other man’s greedy affections. After taking a couple of shallow breaths, he regains his self-control and manages to push Yuta back a few centimeters just as another round of vibrations begins. “I really should take this, though. Wait a moment, please?”

Yuta pretends to sulk for all of five seconds before he rolls off Jaehyun’s lap with an understanding snigger. “I’ll leave you to it, then. In the meantime, I’m going to go say hi to some coworkers. Looks like they just got here.”

He points to a group of three Japanese women huddled near the entrance as if to provide clarification. Jaehyun directs his attention over there, only to do a double take. “Do you educators normally dress so... flamboyantly outside of work?” he questions, eyeing the women’s colorful hair, borderline skimpy outfitsー how they’re wearing such short dresses during this frigid winter is _beyond_ himー and glittery makeup with a look of bewilderment.

“Only the cool ones,” Yuta replies with a shrug. “Okay, I’ll be going!”

With that, he sashays to where his friends are. Jaehyun gazes after his swaying hips longingly until he remembers that he has something important to do. “Hyung?” he greets as he accepts the incoming call at long last.

 _“Hyunnie-ah,”_ Taeyong’s muffled voice slurs through the phone, _“where did you go? Ten and I have been trying to find you for ages! Let’s go home now. It’s getting late...”_

“I’m sure you were, hyung,” the younger retorts sarcastically. Last time he saw the drunken couple, they seemed to be pretty _distracted_ just eating each other’s faces in the middle of the dance floor. “But anyway, I... I’m not going home with you guys tonight...” he stutters out.

 _“What?!”_ Taeyong shrieks unflatteringly, and Jaehyun has to tear the phone away from his ear to avoid becoming deaf in that instant. _“Oh myー Chittaphon!”_ he hears the elder yell vaguely. _“Jaehyunnie says he’s going home with someone tonight!”_

 _“Bitch, you’re getting laid?!”_ This time it’s Ten shouting at him. The Korean man decides that he needs to order another drink to get through this hopefully short conversation with his sanity intact, so he starts making his way over to the bar area. _“Who with?!”_ Ten interrogates. _“Is he cute? He’d better be cute! As your unofficial dad figure, I refuse allow you to hook up with someone fuglyー”_

“It’s the hot Japanese teacher guy, okay?!” Jaehyun rushes out with a mix of elation and embarrassment after curtly thanking a bartender for his second makgeolli. He completely misses how said bartender’s placid expression turns frighteningly _thunderous_ upon overhearing his words since he’s too busy trying to shush his friends’ troublesome squealing. “Okay, _okay..._ I know, _I know. What_ ー of course I don’t carry condoms or lube packets in my wallet! Youー” Jaehyun screeches, appalled by the elders’ straightforward questions. “ _Guys_ ー you know what? I’m hanging up. I’ll see you... Fine, I’ll tell himー his name’s Yuta, by the wayー that you said hi! Now get home safely, okay?”

The Korean man switches his phone to Do Not Disturb mode after disconnecting the call. Then he downs half of his drink in one burning gulp to alleviate his stress. He feels like he lost a number of years off his life after that unnecessary chat. When he puts the bottle down, however, he nearly pisses himself at the surprising sight of a tall bartender standing directly in front of him; the blond man is giving him the scariest evil eye he’s _ever_ seen in his twenty-two years of life, and he’s not sure why. Horribly uncomfortable, Jaehyun scratches his cheek and utters a hesitant, _“Umー”_

“So you’re going home with _my_ Yuta tonight? _My_ precious dongsaeng?” the bartender asks bluntly in Korean. His distinct Busan accent and unsettlingly flat voice only increase his intimidation factor. “He plays around a lot, but he’s _never_ taken anyone he’s met here home before. I wonder what makes you so _special_...”

Lost for words, Jaehyun timidly just shoots the other Korean man a strained half-smile at first. Oh, he‘s more than flustered by this _unprovoked confrontation_ , but he’s doing his best to not let it show. Upon closer examination, the bartender bears an almost uncanny resemblance to Yutaー same sweet, almost doll-like features and chock-full of reversal charms. However, Jaehyun much prefers Yuta’s lovable boisterousness to this man’s not-so-gentle giant persona. Why, his eerie resting bitch face alone is more _wintry_ than _winter_ itself!

High-key fearing for his life and wanting to make a good impression on someone who’s apparently really significant to Yuta, Jaehyun plans out his response with caution. “Hello, I’m Jaehyun. Nice to meet you,” he opts to say with as much humility as he can muster. “Ah, well... I think Yuta’s so smart and beautifulー”

“Of course he is. He’s _Yuta_ ,” the elder interrupts in a no-duh manner. “I’m Hansol, Yuta’s unofficial soulmate, babysitter, second mom, twin, best friendー the whole shebang, basically. It’s a pleasure... _I guess_. Excuse me for a moment.”

Then, without warning, Hansol practically floats away from Jaehyun and over to another patron with a handsome, boyish face and unruly black hair like a ghost. He whispers something and shakes the patron by the shoulder aggressively to grab his attention. It doesn’t take long for the other manー Jaehyun faintly recognizes him as one of the DJs after wracking his brain a bitー to look up from his phone; Jaehyun expects him to be pissed off at the rude treatment, but the DJ instead looks positively _delighted_ to see Hansol. Like, there’s literally _stars_ in the man’s eyes, and his gummy, _lovesick_ grin towards Hansol...

The Korean man looks away politely. He idly wonders if _that’s_ how he’s been staring at Yuta all night...

He’s brought out of his musings as two enormous shadows are suddenly cast over him. Jaehyun blinks stupidly down at the counter, uncertain of whether he should chance looking up, only to jerk in shock when a handful of condoms and lube packets are smacked in front of him. _“What the hell?!”_ he squawks, sweeping the small items off the counter and stuffing them into his pockets frantically out of mortification.

“I overheard you say that you didn’t have these things, so here you go, Jaehyun-ssi. Like hell I’m going to let you fuck my darling best friend like a brute,” Hansol deadpans. “I’d sooner castrate you. Oh, and this is my boyfriend, Jun. He’s one of the DJs here.”

Jaehyun peers up warily and inwardly dies a little. _God,_ Jun’s even taller than Hansol! He’s a million percent sure that this guy could even give _Johnny_ a run for his money in the height department. “Hi...” he manages weakly.

“Hey there!” Jun returns with a cordial grin, saluting Jaehyun with two fingers. “Oh, um, is that enough stuff for you and Yuta-hyung? I mean, I’ve got more goodies with me here, but I was hoping to save them for me and Sol-hyungー _ouch!_ Baby, I was just trying to help!” he whines pathetically, rubbing where his boyfriend had just shoved him.

“I hope you know that you’re as good as dead if you hurt Yuta,” the bartender states matter-of-factly, ignoring Jun in favor of getting in Jaehyun’s face. Jaehyun gulps audibly, not liking the way those giant, somewhat soulless eyes are glaring _daggers_ into his very soul. “I have _powerful_ connections.”

“He does!” Jun agrees heartily after recovering, his gummy, amicable beam taking on a darker edge. The DJ steps forward to throw an arm over his boyfriend’s shoulder; together they make quite the _daunting_ sight. “You’d better not make Yuta-hyung unhappy, Jaehyun-ssi. That would make my boyfriend unhappy, and my boyfriend being unhappy means that I’d have to end your existence!” he laughs casually.

Jaehyun licks his lips nervously at the threats being thrown his way. “I swear I won’tー”

He’s cut off by a sudden tender embrace from behind. “Sorry I was gone for a while. Did you miss me?” Yuta murmurs into his nape innocently.

The Korean man gets goosebumps at the other man’s bright tone. Before he can answer, however, the Japanese man pulls away to address his friends. “Hansol-hyung, Junnie-ah,” he chirps, leaning in briefly to receive a peck on the cheek from Hansol and a hair ruffle from Jun, respectively. “Ah, have you guys met Jaehyun? He’s a tourist from LA. Jaehyun-ah, these are my good friendsー”

“We got to know each other a little through some _small talk_ already, Yuta-yah,” Hansol interrupts gently.

“Yeah, it’s _always_ great to come across a fellow Korean,” Jun chimes in.

“Oh, really?” Yuta sounds thoroughly pleased by this discovery, so Jaehyun chooses not to burst his bubble by telling him that he and the tower-like couple aren’t exactly on _stellar_ terms. “Good to know. Well, I’m going to steal Jaehyun now and head home. But let’s hang out soon, okay? I’m craving takoyaki and stuff!”

“When are you not?” Jun counters playfully, propping his hip against the counter. “But yeah, we’ll call you. Bye, hyung!”

“Be safe,” Hansol says warmly, reaching out to zip up Yuta’s leather jacket for him. The younger smiles up at him sheepishly and murmurs his thanks, which causes him to smile, as well. “If you need anything, let us know...”

Yuta nods understandingly. “Bye-bye, guys! Jaehyunnie, shall we?” he suggests, turning to his companion and holding out his arm so they can hook elbows.

Jaehyun nods respectfully at the two men still watching them like hawks. “It was nice meeting both of you,” he offers perfunctorily.

“Likewise. Glad we got a chance to talk,” Jun replies evenly with a covert wink while Hansol merely tilts his head at him shadily.

Then, without any further ado, Jaehyun hooks his elbow with Yuta’s, and together they maneuver their way through the energetic crowd.


	2. Winter Escapade

The walk to Yuta’s apartment takes forever, but Jaehyun doesn’t mind one bit because of all the fun they’re having in the relatively empty, lamplit backstreets.

Yuta’s unparalleled spontaneity is endlessly _fascinating_. The Korean man’s utterly enchanted by the way his Japanese companion coos over every stray cat or dog they encounter, the way he can drop a savage joke one moment and then explain something profound about domestic or global issues the next, the way he likes to recklessly kick snow around with a boyish guffaw, the way he mischievously just shoves him against a random wall every so often to steal some kisses, the way he fits so snugly under his arm... Oh yes, Jaehyun‘s enthralled by Yuta’s _everything_. With the elder’s limitless energy and magnetism, how could he not be?

Although few and far between, Jaehyun doesn’t remember his past hook-ups ever being like this. There’s no meaningless, lust-driven rushing or clipped, shallow exchanges. No, it’s as if he’s experiencing something much more _intimate_ with Yuta. In a way, everything feels so natural and comfortable with the other man. It’s easy for him to imagine that they’re new friends getting to know each other better through warm touches, stimulating conversations, and loads of laughter rather than just onetime lovers whose paths will probably never cross again after tonight...

This sudden passing thought saddens the younger more than he’d like to admit, and he internally berates himself. He’s irrevocably smitten with Yuta, and running into him again earlier was truly a fortunate stroke of serendipity, but to expect something more to develop between him and the Japanese man is just _asking_ for heartache. After all, they lead completely different lives; Yuta’s a bright Japanese GTA with admirable aspirations, whereas he’s an ordinary Korean new grad with no set-in-stone plans for the future.

At best they could establish a long-distance friendship, but who’s to say that the other man would even want such a thing? Hansol had mentioned earlier that Yuta liked to play around. Surely the elder could find someone _better_ toー

“I can feel the pessimism radiating from you in waves. Is something on your mind?” Jaehyun is tugged out of his much too sober musings by Yuta’s soft inquiry and a light nudge to his side, yet he can only clench his jaw in response. “Jaehyun-ah...?”

The two men silently come to a stop in front of a deserted crosswalk. When the walk signal flashes after a few seconds, the Korean man automatically moves to cross; however, he’s stopped by a strong, though not uncomfortable, grip on his arm. “If you’re having second thoughts or something, I think I deserve to know now,” Yuta starts again meaningfully, “because that’s my apartment complex right up ahead. I’d never pressure you into having sex with me, you know... If you want, you could still come in for a snack or something. Then I could help you find your way back to your friends’ placeー _ah!_ ”

The Japanese man releases a sharp gasp as his taller companion abruptly breaks out of his hold and whips around to gift him with a soulful, intense gaze that leaves him _reeling_. Before he can so much as blink, Jaehyun’s on him, capturing his lips in a fiery, yearning kiss and keeping him in place with an unshakable embrace. His eyes squeeze shut at the pleasurable contact, and he whimpers wantonly as he surrenders himself to the other man’s delicious, desperate mouth.

“Oh, hyung,” Jaehyun pants after pulling away for air, resting his forehead against a quivering Yuta’s, “I’m young and stupid and terribly insecure, and I’m going to sound even more pathetic than I already feel saying this, _but_... I don’t think I can go through with this if you’re going to coldly kick me out and forget all about me after we spend the night together. If it were anyone else, I’d probably be okay... but when it comes to you, I can’t bear the thought, because you’re... Iー”

He’s cut off by a slim finger, which presses against his stuttering lips in a shushing manner. Yuta takes a step back to grace the younger with a watery beam. “And here I thought I was the only one secretly battling insecurities this entire time,” the Japanese man utters wondrously. “I don’t think you realize how beautiful and kind you are. You’re handsome, considerate, passionate, gentle... I’d have to be a monster to throw you away like trash. If anything, I’m not sure what _you_ see in _me_.” He pauses briefly to let out a self-deprecating scoff and follows up with a wry grin. “I’m loud and messy, plus I hype myself up way too much. I can be a know-it-all at times, too, and my Korean’s not even that greatー”

“Hey, no!” the Korean man interjects firmly, mimicking the elder’s earlier shushing gesture and adding a peck on the nose for good measure. “Don’t be that way. You’re _amazing_...”

Yuta processes Jaehyun’s next actions and words with a complicated mix of fascination, joy, empathy, shyness, and defiance. Then he tears the other man’s finger away from his lips as soon as he’s done delivering his long, impassioned list of compliments and counterarguments. “I can’t believe you just shushed me back! You’re so fucking _unoriginal!_ ” the elder exclaims melodramatically. “That being said... I like it when you get all bold and heartfelt, so I guess I can forgive you. Only if you promise to start working on your self-esteem issues, though!” he finishes with a cool wink. “I think I should work on mine, too...”

“I’d really like that a lot,” Jaehyun responds bashfully, pleased by how surprisingly well things turned out. He pats at his surely hot pink cheeks, internally singing at the top of his lungs in relief. “Hey, Yuta-hyung? Do you mind if I ask you a question or two?” he continues carefully.

Yuta raises an eyebrow in slight amusement. “I just listened to you _pour your heart_ out to me, Jaehyun-ah. I think I can handle some simple questions,” he counters without any bite, tucking his hands leisurely into his pockets.

“Well, for starters, why me?” the Korean man asks slowly, leaning his back against a hard traffic pole. “I‘m grateful, really! It’s just... um, Hansol-ssi told me earlier that I’m apparently the first one you’ve ever taken home from that clubー”

“Because I like you, and I feel like I can trust you,” the Japanese man cuts in without hesitation, a demure but sincere smile adorning his lovely, flushed countenance. The other man inhales silently in awe and commits that serene expression to memory; he’s never seen a smile so naturally _healing_ before, and he can’t help but fall for his companion even more after seeing this softer side of him. “I’ve never encountered anyone quite like you before despite all the years I’ve spent dancing and mingling at that place... You’re open and sweet and genuine, with just the right amount of endearing awkwardness, as well. And while it’s an open secret that you’re after my assー _hey,_ don’t you dare try and deny it”ーhe cackles as the red-faced younger flounders due to the shadeー“you’ve shown me repeatedly throughout the night that you care about more than just getting into my pants. So... thank you.”

“I _do_ care about more than just that, hyung!” Jaehyun responds with a fervent nod. He swallows nervously as his heart begins to beat a tattoo more aggressively against his ribs. “Actually, I’m hoping we can be... _friends_ after all this. Um, I know I’m going back to America soon, and I totally understand that we have different priorities, but _still_ , I’d be so grateful... Ah, wait a second! I don’t mean to pressure you into friendshipー”

“I’d _love_ to be friends!” Yuta agrees quickly but sincerely, not wanting his cute, clumsy companion to downward spiral into another state of unnecessary self-doubt. Then, without warning, he closes the gap between them with a few purposeful strides and leans in close to the other man’s pouty lips. “So... you’re still coming over, right? Stay for breakfast. Oh, and Instagram’s the best way to keep in touch with me, by the way,” he says with another angelic, hopeful beam.

“...Fantastic,” Jaehyun manages to choke out faintly, his brain still struggling to come to terms with the surreal turn of events and the way Yuta just nuzzled his cheek all adorably like a kitty because _holy shit_. His eyes close at the intoxicating contact. “What’re you doing?” he murmurs curiously when he feels a sly hand slip into his back pocket and steal his phone a moment later.

“Stuff.” Jaehyun lazily opens his eyes and sees the Japanese man fiddling with both of their phones with a look of serious concentration on his face. “There we go!” the elder declares in a chipper tone after a short while. “Now we’re following each other on Instagram!”

He returns the other phone to its owner, who checks it eagerly. _“You had purple hair?!”_ the Korean man gasps, unable to tear his eyes away from the other man’s gorgeous profile picture. “God, why so beautiful, Yuta?” he thoughtlessly mutters aloud.

Yuta preens at the praise, his companion’s obvious approval and unconscious drop in formality making his body thrum with anticipation. “Well, your black hair was pretty _sexy_ , too,” he remarks a little raspily, equally transfixed by the younger’s photo. “...Hey, Jaehyun-ah?”

“Yes?” the other man hums noncommittally, much too preoccupied with drooling over an old photo of Yuta wearing a thin, almost sheer tank top with a plunging neckline.

How _rude_.

“Can we go to my apartment now? I don’t know about you, but I’m freezing my bits off out here,” Yuta states bluntly, wrapping his arms around himself as if to emphasize his point.

“Oh, right. Same,” Jaehyun chuckles lamely, pocketing his phone in favor of draping an arm around the shorter man’s slim shoulders. “Lead the way, hyung.”

 

The two men stumble into the tiny, dimly-lit apartment gracelessly, giggling uncontrollably like a pair of adolescents all the while. They’re both pleasantly worked up after getting a little too _frisky_ in the corridor. Sure, Jaehyun still feels kind of guilty that they spooked an innocent passerby with their indecency, but he can’t bring himself to regret it too much. He could’ve lived without the stranger’s incredulous, anime-worthy screeching, true, but the resulting irritation was a small price to pay for getting to enjoy generous handfuls of Yuta’s glorious assー because damn, that thing’s _thick_ and _plush_ ー as well as the stellar sensation of said man hungrily leaving hickeys on his neck and erotically tugging at his ribbon choker with his pearly whites...

 _Yup,_ definitely a splendid time to be alive.

“God, I’m such a hypocrite!” The other man’s random outburst recaptures the younger’s attention in an instant. “You know, I usually give students a lot of shit for doing PDA, but look at me breaking my own rules!” the elder reprimands himself hilariously as he locks his front door.

On impulse, the Korean man whirls his companion around and pins him against the hard surface of said door. Then, in a half-joking manner, he comments, “You’re so _naughty_ , sensei. Maybe I should punish you...”

Jaehyun’s not sure where that sudden show of self-assured, albeit cliché, dominance came fromー he’s starting to inwardly beat himself up for it at this very moment, mind youー but he’s not mad about it; he likes how his teasing but sinful words resonate with Yuta, likes how the shorter man drops his keys and shivers noticeably in his clutches. “...You think you’re man enough to punish me, _oppa?_ ” the Japanese man whispers up to his companion daringly once he’s recovered from the thrilling shock. “I’d like to see you try...”

The two men, burning with heady arousal, glare into each other’s dark eyes challengingly for all of ten seconds before breaking apart to burst into even bigger fits of laughter. “Oh god, I think I’m going to _cry!_ ” Jaehyun wheezes mirthfully, bending over to wrap his arms around his middle as his hysteria intensifies. “Shit, I must be really drunk!”

“That was _bad_ , and you should feel bad!” Yuta practically shrieks into his hands as he allows his tingling body to sink against the door, his bottom hitting the floor with an audible, funny thunk. “Wow, I think I might puncture a lung or something from laughing so hard!”

The two goofballs eventually calm down several wild minutes later. A ruffled Jaehyun helps the unceremonious heap known as Yuta to his feet, and the elder thanks him with a dopey grin. They both remove and hang their jackets afterwards, and then the lights are finally turned on. “Welcome to my home...” the Japanese man whispers belatedly.

Eager to learn more about his companion, Jaehyun scans the brightened interior with interest. The apartment is rather small, not much bigger than the size of his modest apartment back in America, and there’s some clutter here and there; at first glance, he spots a familiar briefcase on the kitchen counter, a variety of mangas strewn haphazardly across the floor and two couches, a worn soccer ball on top of a stray swivel chair, and a crimson paisley tie peeking out questionably from beneath the lid of an otherwise immaculate grand piano. “Sorry,” he hears Yuta say somewhat timidly. “Um, if I would’ve known I was going to have a a visitor, I would’ve cleaned up a little... well, okay, _a lot_ ー”

“So, you play piano. No wonder you have such elegant fingers,” the Korean man transitions smoothly, wanting to distract the panicking elder. He doesn’t mind the messiness at all, really. Truthfully speaking, he’s seen worse, and if anything, it makes the experience more authentic. After all, someone’s home should reflect who he or she in reality, not try to emulate a pristine, picture-perfect model home. “You’ve got a nice place. I...”

The words straight up wither and die in Jaehyun’s throat when he catches sight of a certain _something_ dwelling in what he thought was a previously inconspicuous far corner. Unable to believe his eyes, he rubs them thoroughly before checking again.

Okay, so he _isn’t_ hallucinating. Lo and behold, there’s a small orange octopus who seems to be staring daggers at him through the glass walls of a luxurious tank. “I _swear_ you mentioned that you had a dog on the way here,” he coughs out, voice coming out a pitch or two higher than normal. “That’s not a dog, hyung.”

The younger has nothing against aquatic pets, but the way Yuta’s pet octopus swoops in to viciously devour a miniature crab all while keeping its wide, judgmental gaze fixed in his direction is sort of _profoundly disturbing_. It instills a creeping sense of déjà vu in him, as well...

The Japanese man hums lightly, not noticing the other man’s discomfort at all since he’s too busy unlacing his combat boots. “Ah, Rapunzel-chan actually lives with my parents! I wanted to mention this little guy, but I couldn’t remember the word in Korean. Silly me!” the elder answers sheepishly. “Sorry for the surprise, but yeah, that’s Naruto. He’s cute, right?”

“Whatever you say...” his companion exhales awkwardly. He’s terribly unnerved by the evil eye the creature’s giving him, so he chooses to crouch down and focus on removing his Converse instead. “The word is ‘octopus,’ by the way...” he enunciates carefully.

 _'“Octopus!”'_ the elder repeats incorrectly but enthusiastically in Korean. Then he jumps to his feet in search of some house slippers for him and his guest. “Octopuses are amazing, aren’t they? They’re so clever and cool...” he rambles on distractedly as he begins to rummage through his disorganized shoe closet.

Yuta keeps on mispronouncing the foreign word as he talks, Jaehyun notes with an entertained half-smile, but he doesn’t have the heart to correct the Japanese man. “I see...” the Korean man comments simply once Yuta finally pipes down. However, he’s soon struck by a weird realization. “Ah, wait a minute... Don’t you eat takoyaki, hyung? That’s an octopus dish...”

“...Did you know that octopuses have cannibalistic tendencies?” Yuta counters in a rather rhetorical, sassy fashion, twisting around to regard the younger with the most intimidating, diabolical expression he can muster because it’s just so _fun_ making him squirm. How the taller man low-key jolts like an alarmed, oversized puppy when he tosses a pair of house slippers at him only validates this idea. “So, _yeah_... I’m sure Naruto isn’t offended. Now let’s go say hi to him!”

Without leaving any room for argument, Yuta herds a jittery Jaehyun towards his pet. _“Naruto-kun, I’m home!”_ he exclaims in Japanese, his tone somewhat motherly. _“Ah, I see you figured out how to undo those zip ties and open that jar! You’re so intelligent! I hope you enjoyed that fresh seafood medley I put together for your dinner...”_

Naruto’s tentacles wiggle and twist with excitement as he starts getting fawned over by his beloved, albeit chatty, owner. It’s so obvious that he reciprocates his human’s adoration, for he peers up at the Japanese man with something akin to love in his endless eyes.

Nevertheless, Jaehyun still finds the tiny creature creepy as hell, and he observes the entire bizarre interaction somewhat begrudgingly from the side. He’s over the moon to learn more about the elder’s sources of happiness, really, but why does the other man have to surround himself with such _frightening_ companions?! First Hansol and Jun, who are literal _titans_ , and now a live octopus! Why, he can already imagine the little hellspawn acting like the octopus from _Finding Dory_! He’ll break out of his tank to kill him in his sleep, or even worse, before he and Yuta get to do the deedー

“Oh, isn’t Naruto-kun just wonderful?” Yuta gushes.

It’s this unnecessarily difficult question which pulls the Korean man from his haywire thoughts. Praying that he doesn’t look too constipatedー he doesn’t think Yuta would appreciate that very muchー he eventually offers a stiff nod and artificial smile in response. “Um, yeah...” he tacks on weakly for support.

He reckons he must be a decently convincing actor since the other man continues without skipping a beat, “Well, I’m glad you agree! Hansol-hyung’s actually the one who picked him out for me, you know.”

Wow, that... explains _so much_ , honestly.

Jaehyun inwardly sobs a little when the Japanese man tugs him forward to face the octopus head-on. “Oh, where are my manners? Naruto-kun, this is my new friend, Jaehyunnie!”

 _“Hello...”_ he greets half-heartedly in Japanese, flashing a peace sign out of habit.

Naruto squints at the peace sign for a few long, unimpressed seconds. He despises the human stranger’s ugly mug and doesn’t want his stupid unworthiness anywhere near his kawaii as fuck, naive owner, _thank you very much_. But, being an octopus, he’s unable to express such sentiments in words, so he resorts to just shuddering and receding quickly into a nearby dark, stony enclosure.

“...Sorry, he probably felt shy. He takes after Hansol-hyung in that respect,” Yuta says tactfully after a long, awkward silence.

 _“Oh, he sure takes after him alright,”_ Jaehyun mumbles moodily in English.

Yuta cocks his head in confusion. “Um, what did you say? I don’t know much English...”

 _“Nothing!”_ Jaehyun returns hastily in Korean before flashing his companion his best dimpled smile. “If you don’t mind, I’d love to tour your bedroom next...” he suggests with a boldness Taeyong and Ten would be proud of.

 

As soon as the door clicks shut behind them, Yuta morphs back into the demanding, frisky vixen from the club. He smirks seductively at the younger and drawls out, “Oh, I’m _so_ sorry to have kept you waiting for so long. I hope I prove to be worth the wait, though...”

Jaehyun gulps as his already painful arousal spikes tenfold at the sight of pretty teeth and naughty lips contorted in such a lethal fashion. When his companion leisurely starts to edge the him towards the bed like a predator stalking its prey, he doesn’t put up any semblance of a fight. Why would he, when he’s been fantasizing about this moment for _days?_ “Hyung, just get over here already!” he ends up groaning rather impatiently, good-boy manners be damned.

Thrilled by the display of alluring rudeness, Yuta gives up on his beguiling stride and closes the distance between them with a rather impressive high jump. Jaehyun clings onto his companion with a breathy, victorious laugh as he falls backwards onto a rickety bed, his hands finding purchase on the other man’s delectable curves. “You look mighty fine up there,” he sincerely tells the elder, who’s straddling his body possessively between warm, strong thighs. “You’d look even better without your thermal shirt...”

The Japanese man replies with a flirtatious simper. “Maybe later, okay? I want to taste you first...”

With that, Yuta manhandles the Korean man into a position where he can peel off his woven top with ease before shoving him down again. “Wow, you’re fucking _fit_...” he murmurs reverently as he drinks in the heavenly image of creamy skin pulled taut over rippling muscles. “God, don’t you look so fucking sweet and dreamy? I just want to eat you all up...”

Jaehyun throws his head back and keens embarrassingly loud as the other man begins to lick, nip, suck, and paw at his exposed front. His greedy hands and even greedier mouth are roaming _everywhere_ ー his thick neck, his protruding collarbones, his pebbled nipples, his solid abs, his sensitive navel, his distinct happy trailー leaving white-hot chaos in their wake. _“Hyung...”_ he moans desperately, ready to implode from the elder’s torturous ministrations. His overheated, marked flesh aches with lust. Remembering that he has control over his hands, he weakly releases the now horribly crumpled sheets to clumsily latch onto the Japanese man’s damp pink locks. “Ah, Yuta-hyungー”

 _“What?”_ Yuta hisses playfully, rubbing the underside of his chin against Jaehyun’s clothed, straining bulge territorially. “What is it, Jaehyun-ah?”

The Korean man can only gape in return, rendered speechless by the electrifying contact. “What, cat got your tongue?” Yuta taunts cutely. “Well, guess what? The cat’s about to get _something else_ , too...”

Before he can so much as blink, Jaehyun has his unbearably tight leather pants and briefs torn cleanly from his body; another millisecond passes, and then Yuta’s prurient mouth is devouring his throbbing member with ardent determination. _“Holy shit!”_ he grunts blissfully, instinctively thrusting into the tight heat of the other man’s welcoming throat to chase more dizzying pleasure. Sure, he’s had blow jobs before, fantastic ones at that, but he doesn’t recall his past experiences ever being this fucking _earth-shattering_ ; what the Japanese man’s currently giving him is on a whole other divine level. “So good, hyung. You’re so, _so_ good...” he compliments through gritted teeth, clutching his companion’s candy floss-colored strands with more urgency.

Yuta wants to gag, whine, thrash, and maybe even cry a little, too, as the younger’s erection starts to abuse his throat with irregular, borderline unendurable back-and-forth motions... yet he doesn’t do anything of the sort. No... forcing his twitching hands to remain clasped behind his back, he opts to just buckle down, cram more cock into his ravenous gullet, and withhold his complaints because the _incorrigible masochist_ in him, the _wretched monster_ hiding behind an ethereal pretty boy facade and an excess of masculine bravado, _lives_ for this kind of merciless treatment, this reversal of roles.

Jaehyun’s proving to be a meatier, more difficult mouthful to swallow than originally expected, but the elder loves itー sting, fullness, musk, praise, craze, and all. Another thing he loves about the Korean man is his surprising change in character during sex; he initially thought the other man would act as sweet as honeyed vanilla and as lavish as an oversized teddy bear given his usual marshmallow disposition. But _boy_ , was he wrong.

Interestingly, he’s never been so glad to be wrong.

That a mere opening demonstration of his sensuality was enough to reduce this normally angelic, dandy gentleman into a devilish, sex-crazed brute makes for _such_ a fucking power trip, and anyone who knows Nakamoto Yuta knows how _crazy_ he is for power trips.

“Oh, I‘m so, so, _so_ close. Can I come in your mouth, Yuta?” Although he phrases it like a request, it’s obvious from Jaehyun’s low, silky tone and tightening grip that he doesn’t plan on taking no for an answer. “Can you take it, honey?” he implores, the inferno in his belly screaming to be freed.

The Japanese man chokes loudly at the sound of the rough but fond address. However, he quickly recovers and renews his already perfect efforts, wanting nothing more than to please the man beneath him because _yes, yes, a billion fucking times yes_.

The _insane, visceral_ orgasm that tears through the Korean man leaves him groaning in rapture. His eyes roll to the back of his head in ecstasy, where countless stars of fiery gratification twinkle in greeting amid the darkness. His limbs are jelly on the mattress; he can only bask in the sensation of the elder‘s clenching throat and broken whimpers while coming down from his high. _“Yuta...”_ he murmurs lightheadedly, loosening his hold on his companion’s hair. “It’s okay, honey. You don’t have to force yourself...”

The other man sits up slowly, and _god_ , is his debauched appearance a vision. Yuta’s the very definition of _wrecked_ with his mussed hair, smudged makeup, glassy eyes, glowing cheeks, and come-stained, ruddy mouth. “Enjoyed that, didn’t you? Wow, you really gave me a run for my money, Jaehyun-ah. I’m usually a pro at swallowing...” the Japanese man remarks hoarsely, using one of his hands to scoop up what he can’t reach with his tongue. “Look at how _messy_ I am now because of you,” he accuses between licks, eating up the rest of the gobsmacked younger’s come. “But at least you taste good, soー”

 _“I’m sorry!”_ Jaehyun interrupts genuinely. He sits up and guides the elder’s sullied hand to his own lips, pressing a number of gentle, contrite kisses against the delicate skin. Then he leans forward and stuns his already stunned companion even more by kissing his tainted lips the same way. “Ah, I didn’t mean to be so rough with you! I’m _so_ sorry!” Jaehyun apologizes once more, lowering his head. He hadn’t meant to act like such a selfish, demanding lover; he’s not even sure where that uncharacteristically lascivious side of him had emerged from, honestly, and now he just feels ashamed beyond belief. “I wasn’t thinking straight. I could’ve hurt you, Yuta-hyungー”

“Jaehyun-ah, stop it.” The quiet but no-nonsense command shuts the Korean man up in a heartbeat. “You didn’t hurt me, okay? Getting face-fucked was a lot of fun, actually, not to mention a huge turn-on,” Yuta spells out in a velvety, amused voice, gazing at the other man through half-lidded eyes. “You know... as much as I love being dominant, it’s being dominated that gets me _hot and bothered_ like no other, especially when it’s good boys like you roughing up little old me...”

Jaehyun lets out some noisy, exaggerated coughs to tune out the rest of Yuta’s downright filthy admission because it’s high-key detrimental to his health in all aspects. His hormonal imagination doesn’t seem to agree, however, for it starts to conjure up dozens of _provocative_ images centered around a certain Japanese beauty lying underneath him, _naked and vulnerable and pliant_...

Yuta beams to himself smugly; he can tell that his flustered companion is thinking dirty thoughts about him. How flattering. “You seem thirsty, Jaehyun-ah. Go help yourself to a drink in the kitchen,” he suggests teasingly before sliding off the bed. “I need a minute or two to freshen up, anyway. If you need me, I’ll be in the bathroom.”

“Okay,” the younger replies in a mumble, flopping backwards onto the bed bonelessly. Once the other man is out of earshot, he whispers to himself with an exasperated, albeit infatuated, smile, “He’s going to be the death of me, I swear...”

Jaehyun stares at the ceiling blankly for a couple of seconds. Then, as if struck by lightning, he jumps off the bed and rushes out of the room in all his naked glory. _”The stuff!”_ he reminds himself in panic. “Oh, I can’t forget the stuff!”

With his hands self-consciously concealing his privatesー he doesn’t want to chance disturbing a certain volatile orange octopus more than he already hasー the Korean man half jogs, half waddles back to the front door at a commendable pace and without obstacle to boot.

Once there, he snatches his jacket from the coat rack with one hand and, after an eighteen-second mental pep talk, bravely begins to fish through its pockets with the other. His fingers immediately come into contact with _copious_ amounts of foil packets, and he can’t help but flinch when he has an unwilling flashback to when he received said items. _“To bring all of these, or to not bring all of theseー that is the question,”_ Jaehyun jokes to himself wryly in English.

“...Ah, you know what? Fuck it.” After a mini-eternity of internal back-and-forth, Jaehyun chooses to just bring everything Jun and Hansol gave himー better to be overprepared than underprepared, he tells himselfー before shuffling back to Yuta’s bedroom in the same gawky manner as before.

Unfortunately for Jaehyun, the trip back doesn’t go as smoothly as desired.

Naruto, having awoken from a fitful slumber, makes a scary reappearance from his pitch-black hiding spot once he’s within a two-meter radius of his tank. The infernally brilliant pet seems to possess a sixth sense when it comes to his precious owner’s well-being, because as soon as he catches sight of the foreign human pest from earlier and the incriminating shiny things in his hands, he spirals into a _positively overprotective, fraught rage_.

_**Why, that no-good lecher plans on defiling his favorite human!**_

The aggressive creature shoots a spine-chilling glare in a paralyzed Jaehyun’s direction and spreads out his tentacles in a nightmarish, homicidal, threatening fashion. _“Chill, okay?!”_ the human whisper-screams shrilly in a mix of Korean, English, and broken Japanese, triggered by the sinister aura emanating from the tank. _“I like Yuta-hyung a lot, and I’m not going to hurt him!”_

After saying his piece, the Korean man sprints the rest of the way back to Yuta’s bedroom.

 

Meanwhile, in the bathroom, a relaxed Yuta sings EXILE’s “Angel” under his breath absentmindedly while drying his now makeup-free face.

The Japanese man is blissfully unaware of the bitter conflict that just took place elsewhere in his apartment. No, he’s much too wrapped up in contemplating whether he should make anymore last-minute preparations before leaving the bathroom. He feels refreshed and ready to go have some more exhilarating, kinky fun with Jaehyun after brushing his teeth, removing his circle lenses, and washing his face, but maybe he should trim his nails, too, or prep himself in advance, or hastily choreograph a strip tease routine, orー

Yuta’s train of thought soon crashes and burns when out of nowhere, the bathroom door is nearly ripped off its hinges by a nude, wild-eyed, panting Jaehyun. “Jaehyun-ah?” the elder inquires, unsure of how to perceive the other man’s confusing, albeit welcome, appearance. “Um, what’s wrong?”

“How do I convince Naruto that I’m not out to corrupt your virtue?” his companion asks seriously. “He came out and and threw a hissy fit when I walked by his tank a second ago.”

“...But you _are_ out to corrupt my virtue,” Yuta counters matter-of-factly, not understanding where the lie is. “Not that I'm very _virtuous_ to begin with, but yeah. I _want_ you to corrupt me... preferably soon, thanks, since I’m still horny. Oh, and about Naruto-kunー he always goes on high alert mode whenever young, attractive single men enter our home, so don’t take his hostility personally. He’s a bit of a sadistic prankster, but I swear he’s as sweet and harmless as a bunny rabbit.”

 _“...Right,”_ the Korean man replies flatly, a sour, doubtful grimace marring his handsome face. “Sure... okay then.”

“I’m glad we had this talk,” the Japanese man snickers. He turns around and pads over to the younger, placing his hands on the other man’s broad, hickeyed chest. “You know...” he starts in a sultry tone, eyeing Jaehyun’s ribbon collar with sizzling interest, “all night I’ve been wondering what it’d feel like... to have that ribbon around your neck around my wrists instead while you fuck me sillyー _hey!_ ”

Before he can finish his unholy statement, Yuta finds himself tossed over Jaehyun’s shoulder like a sack of rice and marched out of the bathroom. _Oh, well,_ he thinks to himself giddily as he’s thrown onto his bed, _this works, too_.

“Arms above your head, honey,” Jaehyun commands gruffly as he perches himself on Yuta’s bony hips. The contrast between his rich, compelling voice and bashful, sparkling eyes leaves the smaller man scrambling to obey. “Good boy,” he praises without skipping a beat as he removes the elder’s shirt. “God, you’re so _pretty_...”

The Japanese man whines brokenly in response, his eyes fluttering shut at the soothing words. His nails dig harshly into his pillows as large, warm hands begin to explore his exposed flesh as if it were their personal playground; they cup his svelte waist, knead his barely-there abs, graze his hard nipples, sweep over his prominent collarbones, press against his rapidly beating heart... “Am I doing well so far, Yuta?” he hears the younger question attentively. “I can start going rougher, if you want...”

“Yes, please...” he sighs yearningly. “Tie me up first, though, okay? I‘m _notorious_ for clawing my partners’ backs during sex, and I‘d _hate_ to ruin your lovely skin...”

“Alright...” The other man bites his tongue hard to prevent an aroused snarl from escapingー honestly speaking, the thought of Yuta carving angry streaks of passion into his back for him to take home to America doesn’t sound bad at allー before undoing his makeshift choker. Then he brings the sinful, satiny ribbon to his companion’s dainty wrists and binds them together with an efficiency he didn’t know he had. “Too tight?” he wonders anxiously once he’s done with his task.

“Perfect. Peachy. Now _please_ hurry up and fuck me,” the elder begs, bucking his hips up in a shameless, maddening grinding motion. _“Pretty please, with a cherry on top?”_

 _Rip_. There goes the rest of Jaehyun’s self-restraint and pure boy sensibilities.

With a mildly animalistic growl, the Korean man undoes his lover’s leather pants, hooks his fingers securely into the softer inner fabric of his boxers, and scoots backwards on his knees hurriedly, peeling both articles of clothing off the Japanese man without any trouble whatsoever. _“Beautiful,”_ he breathes out wholeheartedly, drinking in the visual of slim, hairless legs. “Oh yes, you’re _definitely_ my favorite thing about Osaka...” he says thoughtfully before wrapping his fingers around the other man’s ankles with bruising force.

 _“Jaehyun!”_ Yuta squeaks in surprise as his long legs are lifted high and spread wide in the air. Plush, hot lips tenderly travel up the length of each supple limb, going back and forth in a consistent pattern so both are given an equal amount of hot, soaking kisses. “Jaehyun...” he stutters restlessly when his lover’s hungry mouth stops centimeters away from his aching groin to sample the fragile skin of his inner thighs. “Come on...”

“What’s up?” his companion inquires nonchalantly, his composed voice belying the boyish mischievousness of his touches. He shifts his hands from the Japanese man’s ankles to the backs of his knees. “Do you mind if I fold your legs back a little?”

“I don’t mind, but I’m not that flexible, so don’t expect too much,” Yuta confesses sheepishly, concealing his winces like a champ as his lower body is adjusted into a slightly uncomfortable position. “Teaching’s made my body stiff...”

“I‘ll help you loosen up then!” the younger expresses brightly, and then his sugary smile adopts a carnal, wolfish edge that ironically renders his doe-eyed lover rigid with anticipation. “Your mouth on me felt _wonderful_ earlier, honey. It’s about time I return the favor in my own way...”

“Wait... you don’t meanー _whoa!_ ” The elder releases a pitiful yelp as the Korean man dives right in with his voracious tongue, lashing the moist muscle frenetically against his blushing, unprepared entrance. _“Fuck!”_ he cries in his mother tongue, pupils dilating due to the maddening stimulation. It’s been ages since someone last used their mouth on him there, so he forgot how disgustingly good it felt. _“You’re teasing too much!”_ he sniffles, shaking his head from side to side wildly.

High off the taste of Yuta’s natural, clean flavor and the sound of his unintelligible but titillating moans, an excited Jaehyun refuses to settle for a half-assed job (literally) and wastes no time in going in for the kill; his slick organ jabs brazenly into his lover’s tight heat to ravage the succulent, helplessly spasming inner walls. “Oh, you taste so _good_ , Yuta...” he later mutters, drawing back to catch his breath and lewdly lick his lips.

 _“Don’t say that!”_ the Japanese man protests feebly, straining against his restraints for real this time when the other man, much to his chagrin, buries his face between his cheeks again. Embarrassed from head to toe, he weakly maneuvers his bound arms over to where his companion’s face is buried between his cheeks. He threads his fingers through the silky, mocha-colored hair and pulls warningly. “Please, if you’re going to do this, at least use lube. Um, I have flavoredー”

“Who gave you permission to move your arms? Because it sure as hell wasn’t me,” Jaehyun snips rudely, sitting up to pierce his lover with an irritated stare. He inwardly marvels at how Yuta automatically _shrinks_ beneath him, adorably stricken and submissive. The elder doesn’t show any signs of being seriously upset or turned off, though, so he continues with fake meanness, “And I don’t recall asking for your opinion, either. Just relax and... and be a good kitty for me, okay?”

The Korean man wants to cringe at how _strange_ , _out of character_ , and _disrespectful_ the dirty words feel coming out of his mouth. However, he quickly forgets his awkwardness when he notices how... utterly _enthralled_ his blushing, gaping lover looks upon hearing his demand. “No one’s ever made me their _kitty_ before. I’d _love_ to yours...” the smaller man mumbles wondrously, looking up at him with glazed-over, starry eyes. “Oh, I’m already _collared_ and everything...”

In that moment, Jaehyun falls head over heels for Yuta all over again. Dropping his dominant act and letting go of the other man’s quivering legs, he bends down to cup pink, mochi-soft cheeks. “I’m going to spoil you all night long...” he croons meaningfully.

“Please do,” the Japanese man answers in a sexy purr. He smiles encouragingly when the younger experimentally hooks a finger under his buckled leather collar and tugs upward with infinite gentleness; he follows the guiding movement obediently and is rewarded with a chaste kiss on the mouth. “But no matter what, you still have to fuck me really hard, okay, Jaehyun? I want to feel you for the rest of the week...”

“Of course,” his companion promises indulgently before pulling away to grab lube and condoms from the bedside table. “Now take some deep breaths, honey, and spread your legs nice and wide, too. This is going to sting a bit...”

 

It’s a quarter past four in the morning when SHINee’s “All Day All Night” unexpectedly blasts from next door with a volume powerful enough to wake the dead.

 _“...The fuck?”_ a rudely awakened Jaehyun growls in annoyance. Without bothering to open his groggy eyes, he huffs, rolls over, and proceeds to sandwich his head between two pillows. However, the song refuses to be drowned out; as if to spite him, it just gets even more deafening, to the point that the bed beneath him is rattling to the infectious rhythm. “...Am I hallucinating?” the Korean man asks himself in a muffled, miserable voice. It’s like _ass o’clock in the morning_ in _Japan_ , so why the hell is he being bombarded with _K-Pop?_ “Ah, I swear I didn’t drink that much last night...”

Out of nowhere, the pillow on top of his head is lifted and thrown away, and a pleasantly snug, soft, sex-scented body cuddles his, careful to avoid the smarting scratches scattered across his back. “Jaehyun-ah, don’t smother yourself. That’s bad,” Yuta yawns sleepily into the crook of his lover’s neck. “Why are you up so early?”

“Hyung, there’s an earthquake coming from next door. Make it stop,” the younger complains childishly into the pillow beneath his face. “What, are you not bothered by the noise?” he presses, surprised when he feels the Japanese man shrug against him in response.

“My neighbor always listens to loud music during his morning workouts,” the elder reveals casually. “So yeah, the other tenants and I just got used to it. Most of us work mornings, anyway, so we don’t mind the free alarm clock. It goes off a bit too early, sure, but waking up earlier gives us more time to enjoy the little things in life like watching the sunrise or having a big breakfast...”

“How lovely,” the Korean man deadpans. He understands where the other man is coming from, really, but it doesn’t change the fact that he isn’t a morning person. “Hyung, where are you going?” he inquires, feeling cold and a tad put out when his lover’s cozy presence suddenly recedes to the opposite end of the bed.

“I want you to be comfortable while you’re here, so I’m going to go next door and tell Hoshi to tone it down,” Yuta informs him simply. “Well, I’ll be back in a jiffyー _ouch!_ ”

 _“Hyung?!”_ Jaehyun snaps out of his moping state and jerks up in alarm when he hears a concerning, echoing thud followed by a faint, heartwrenching yowl. He squints his eyes, unable to see very well in the darkness. It takes him approximately three seconds to realize that the other man is nowhere in sight, which means... _“Oh, shit!”_ he curses, kicking off the blankets in violent panic before rushing to the edge of the bed, his own back pain be damned.

He finds the Japanese man crumpled on the floor, misty-eyed and frowning. “...Ah, my bottom half stings like a bitch,” the elder states plaintively, peering up at his lover with a sulky expression. “Bravo, Jaehyun-ah. I think you literally broke me...”

 _“Sorry!”_ the Korean man apologizes profusely, leaping out of bed to scoop his companion up bridal style. “God, _sorry!_ Are you alright?!”

“I guess,” the smaller man merely sighs in return, melting into the strong, coddling embrace. “So much for going next door...”

“Oh, nevermind that. I’m sorry for making you get up, hyung,” Jaehyun utters guiltily, craning his neck to plant a kiss on his lover’s hair. Cradling the other man intimatelyー he makes for such a nice, comfy armfulー he continues, “I shouldn’t have been so sensitive. Let’s just try and go back to sleepー”

“Wait!” Yuta cuts in, tilting his head up to look at the younger with impossibly huge, spellbinding eyes. “We’re already up, so we might as well go watch the sunrise. We can watch it from my bedside window, actually. I think you’d really like it...” he trails off quietly, hopeful uncertainty tinging his voice.

An endeared smile graces the Korean man’s lips at the implied invitation. Without any delay, he carries the Japanese man over to the edge of the bed closest to the window and then lowers him gingerly, frowning sympathetically when his companion mewls at being sat on his poor, stinging bottom. “Can I get you anything, hyung? Water? Pain meds?” he offers considerately as he pulls back the blinds.

“No, thank you,” his lover replies distractedly as he starts to wipe down the foggy window with his shirt from last night, which conveniently happened to be within reach. “Maybe later. The sunrise should be starting soon...”

After completing their individual tasks, Jaehyun and Yuta wordlessly sit down side by side before the window. Together they wait, gazing intently at the breathtaking outside world through the clear glass. They’re _mesmerized_ by the sparkling snowfall, shadowy buildings, reflective bay, and boundless sky with its artful, seamless blend of oranges, blues, pinks, and yellows. They can hear the whistles and songs of the birds, as well, underneath the vibrant sound of SHINee’s “Hello” now playing next door.

The poetic beauty of Osaka’s calm, wintry morning ignites something profound in Jaehyun. The icing on the cake is when, at long last, a blinding orb of light appears on the horizon. It gradually journeys up, up, up into a position of prominence in the sky, bathing everything in the land with brilliant sunbeams that dye the frozen white city amber gold with heat and life.

“...It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Yuta comments in a hushed voice once the sun has fully risen, as if afraid to break the relatively tranquil spell still veiling their tiny portion of the world. “I’ve watched the sunrise every morning for as long as I can remember, yet its unchanging beauty never fails to move me... Is the sunrise in your country this amazing, too?” he questions softly, nudging the other man’s knee with his own.

Jaehyun grins to himself, finding the light, curiosity-driven touch adorable. “...I don’t know. I haven’t bothered to look in a long time,” he admits honestly, finally tearing his eyes away from the magnificent sunrise to regard his equally magnificent lover. “So I mean...”

His voice dies in his throat upon realizing how _ethereal_ the elder’s sunlit form is. He’s as radiant as a morning star with his fluffy rose gold hair and naked, glowing skin, and the way his feathery eyelashes cast impressive shadows on his cheeks has the Korean man’s heart swelling with indescribable sentiment.

“...Jaehyun-ah, why are you looking at me like that?” the Japanese man questions in a whisper, getting goosebumps under the younger’s almost romantic gaze.

The larger man merely shakes his head dismissively, though his blushing ears speak volumes about his inner thoughts. “Would you like breakfast in bed?”

“It’s alright,” Yuta declines politely, reaching out to lace his fingers with his companion’s. “I want to help cook. I’m an expert at fried eggs, I’ll have you know,” he giggles exuberantly. “And I need to feed Naruto-kun soon, anyway, unless you wanted to try doing that?”

Jaehyun deflates at the mention of the hostile creature. “I’d rather not,” he refuses with a visible shudder. “No offense, but I feel like he’s going to jump out and castrate me if I open his tank.”

“Oh, don’t be so _dramatic!_ He wouldn’t do that!” the other man snorts. “You did make me scream a lot during sex last night, though, so he’s probably going to be pissy and stare daggers at you for the rest of your stay...” he adds with a comical shrug.

“I expected as much,” the Korean man sighs, leaning in to peck the elder’s cheek. “But he can hate me all he wants because I... I regret nothing about last night! Hyung, you were soー”

“Yuta,” the Japanese man corrects abruptly, squeezing his lover’s hand meaningfully. “Um, you don’t have to call me ‘hyung’ anymore, okay? I think I like it a lot better when you call me by my name, actually. Oh, or by one of those pet names you came up with last night...”

“Really?” Jaehyun’s red face resembles a cherry bomb ready to explode. “Ah, if that’s what you want then...”

“Oh, and now that I think about it... since you said sorry earlier for wrecking my ass”ーYuta laughs out loud obnoxiously when the larger man facepalms in embarrassment and mutters a series of indiscernible soundsー”I guess I owe you an apology, as well, so... sorry about your back. I _warned_ you not to untie me until we were finished, but you didn’t listen!”

“You were clinging to me like a lifeline,” his companion reflects with a besotted expression on his face, the lovely memory of his darling kitty’s neediness making him forget all about the discomfort in his shredded back. “It was so _cute. You’re so cute_ ー”

“I’m not _cute!_ ” Yuta objects in a disgruntled voice, letting go of the other man’s hand to cross his arms. He has an image to uphold, after all. “There’s nothing _cute_ about me! Please, I’m the baddest bitch aroundー _ah?!_ ”

His affronted rant is cut short when the Korean man knocks him backwards with a surprise glomp. “Hey, you’re crushing me!” he grumbles half-heartedly after regaining his bearings.

His sore, fucked out body is screaming in protest due to the added pressure, yet being trapped in Jaehyun’s toned, toasty arms is anything but torture. He’s internally overjoyed by the softhearted, secure hug; in fact, if he had to pick a word to describe it, he’d choose _‘homey’_...

“I only have three days left in Japan, Yuta,” Jaehyun muses somewhat wistfully, pressing his ear against his lover’s chest to listen to the relaxing cadence of his beating heart. “If you’re free... would you be able to tour me around? There’s still so much I want to experience, and I definitely want to spend more time with you before I go...”

“I’m glad you like me and my hometown so much, Jaehyun-ah. It’d be an honor to tour you,” Yuta chuckles happily, carding his fingers through the other man’s hair, which shines a vivid copper under the sunlight. “However, I’d like to request three things in return, if you don’t mind...”

“Of course. Anything you want,” the younger answers promptly, curious but eager to fulfill the wishes of the Japanese man he adores so much.

 _“Yay!”_ He lets out a startled gasp when, out of the blue, his companion roughly grabs hold of him and rolls them over. Then he’s on top of him, looking very much like the cat that swallowed the canary while straddling his hips. “May I state my terms now?” the elder asks teasingly.

“Go ahead,” Jaehyun yields in a faint voice, willing himself not to get hard at the rather ravishing sight of his nude lover practically smirking down at him while in such a suggestive position.

“Firstly, I want to meet your friends since you got to meet mine,” Yuta says straightforwardly. 

“Alright,” the Korean man agrees easily. “Fair enough. Next?”

“Secondly, I know we’re new friends and all, but I’d like it if we could still... _you know_...” the Japanese man insinuates huskily, gyrating his curvy hips once to illustrate his desire.

“I’d like that a lot, too,” the younger conveys crisply, subtly bucking up to get more skin-to-skin contact. “And lastly?”

Yuta swallows nervously, praying that his last request won’t cross the line. He _really, really_ likes Jaehyun, and he’s confident that the other man _really, really_ likes him back. Nevertheless, he’s still anxious as to how his lover might react, so he closes his eyes, gathers his courage, and stutters out, “Lastly, I showed you the sunrise in my country, so... will you show me the sunrise in yours one day, as well...?”

“...Honey, when’s your next break from work?” Jaehyun inquires quietly after a pregnant pause, reaching up to massage the elder’s slender waist. “Spring?”

“Spring...” Yuta confirms slowly, tentatively opening his eyes to shoot the larger man an inquisitive look. “Why?”

“You. Me. LA. This spring,” the Korean man states simply, beaming beautifully up at his companion. “Be there, or be square.”

The Japanese man blinks a few times, feeling utterly confused and lost in translation. “Um... so is that a yes?” he wonders aloud shyly, seeking clarification from the other man. “I really hope that’s a yes, or I’m going to feel like a fucking idiotー”

 _“Yuta!”_ Jaehyun interjects in a half-amused, half-exasperated tone, rolling his eyes good-naturedly.

 _“Yes?”_ Yuta counters with a playful eye-roll of his own, resisting the urge to shiver when the covetous hands on his waist begin to travel south.

“It’s a yes,” Jaehyun snickers before reversing their positions once more and capturing his lover’s petal-soft lips in an unmistakably romantic kiss full of promise.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think? This fic is kind of like an experiment for me— I'll write more in this style if the reception is good, I guess. ^^" I kinda missed fluffy romcom stuff, though, anyway, so... *shrugs*
> 
> If you want to get to know me more, I'm @kanarazutodoku on twitter~ I'm honestly not very exciting, but I'd love to chat with y'all about NCT, UNB, etc. <3


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